In our third installment of the series on Wine and Asian Food we take on the delightful Sauvignon Blanc which is one our favorite choices to compliment the spectrum of Asian cuisine. From New Zealand, France’s Loire Valley to Napa in California, Shinsei has over a dozen Sauvignon Blanc selections for you to explore.

As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.”― Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

Shinsei Restaurant DallasWine Mondays - 1/2 price Bottles

Hemingway must have been enjoying a Sauvignon Blanc. Just as shellfish sings of the sea, so white wines made from the Sauvignon Blanc grapes sing songs of their earthy provenance. From the crisp slightly mineral character of the Loire in France to the exuberant grassy herbaceous Sauvignons of the Marlborough region of New Zealand, each speaks of the character of the land where they grow.

Citrussy Sauvignons with bright lemon or grapefruit notes like an unoaked white Bordeaux, and Sauvignons from Marlborough, Chilean and Argentinian are marvelous with grilled fish, especially oily fish. They pair well with big garlicky flavours of prawns and grilled squid.

Aromatic ‘herbaceous’ Sauvignons sing with bright salads, peppers and herbs. They stand strong with dishes that have southeast Asian flavor profiles full of lime, chili, coriander, peppercorns and garlic. These whites also love the deft balance of sweet, mild bitter and salty of roast duck and hoisin. Chicken bathed in citrus and ginger notes will present even greater depth of flavors along side a Sauvignon Blanc.